Systems for harvesting energy from renewable resources have long been desired in the arts. One of the problems associated with engineering energy harvesting systems is the challenge of making maximum use of energy sources which may be intermittent in availability and/or intensity. Solar power, for example, typically relies on solar cells, or photovoltaic (PV) cells, used to power electronic systems by charging storage elements such as batteries or capacitors, which then may be used to supply an electrical load. The sun does not always shine on the solar cells with equal intensity however, and such systems are required to operate at power levels that may vary depending on weather conditions, time of day, shadows from obstructions, and even shadows cast by birds passing overhead, causing solar cell power output to fluctuate. Similar problems with output variability are experienced with other power sources such as wind, piezoelectric, regenerative braking, hydro power, wave power, and so forth. It is common for energy harvesting systems to be designed to operate under the theoretical assumption that the energy source is capable of delivering at its maximum output level more-or-less all of the time. This theoretical assumption is rarely matched in practice.
Due to the foregoing and other problems and potential advantages, improved methods, systems, and/or apparatus for power control in energy harvesting systems, such as solar power systems for example, would be a useful contribution to the arts.